A Year Without Harry
by BEATERTWIN
Summary: SUMMER IS JUST ABOUT OVER AND RON HASN'T GOTTEN A SINGLE LETTER FROM HARRT. THIS COULD MAKE FOR AN EXCITING YEAR AT HOGWARTS. This is my first fanfic so if you can please R&R. Chapter 3 up
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer – I guess I need one of these or at least it is the fashion to have one. None of this is mine it all belongs to J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., and the many publishers.  
  
A/N – Ok this is my first fanfic so you know what to expect. I'm not a real big fan of guessing what is in the upcoming books but this is the Trios six year and Voldermort is appearing more and more in the books (especially 4 & 5) so I played around with a few ideas. Next does anyone know if all the Gryffindor Chasers were in there seventh year in book five. Last I am not a novelist I don't plan on extending each chapter past more than 5 pages but each chapter will be at least the equivalent to 2 pages. I hope you enjoy and please R&R.  
  
"Ron!" It was Ginny, Ron's sister. Ron had heard his sister running up the five flights of stair before she had stepped into his room. She had yelled out his name while coming up the stairs but had to stop and catch her breath before she continued speaking. "Ron, Harry has been taken to Grimmauld Place."  
  
"Has he?" Ron asked. "How do you know?"  
  
"An owl just arrived while mum was cleaning up breakfast."  
  
"Did you open it or mum? It was for me, right?"  
  
Ron said this with some anger in his voice and took Ginny aback. He hadn't gotten a single letter from Harry and he wanted to be the first person to read what he had written.  
  
"I opened it and read it but it wasn't just for you it said 'Weasleys' on the envelope."  
  
"What do you mean? Was it from Harry?"  
  
"No, it was from Professor Lupin."  
  
"Well what did the letter say?"  
  
"It said are friend has been moved to a better place."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's code so if it was intercepted no one would know what it means."  
  
"Oh."  
  
So is that why Harry isn't writing? Ron thought. Is he worried that his letter would be intercepted? But what does it matter if He-Who-Must-Not- Be-Named got hold of his letters? Was he going to read them aloud to his Death Eaters and have a good laugh?  
  
Ron and Ginny were heading up a hill the Weasley's paddock. They had gone to a near by Muggle town and had bought a Basket Ball to practice Quidditch without having to worry about a Quaffle being thrown out of the paddock.  
  
"So you're going out for Chaser this year, Ginny?"  
  
"Ya being as Harry is aloud to play Quidditch again."  
  
"You were really good at Seeker being as you join the team half the way through the season so if you start practicing now, you could be a decent Chaser too."  
  
"Ya I'd rather play Chaser anyways I being able to clearly see the ball I'm trying to catch."  
  
"Did you really take one of our brooms and sneak up here and practice by yourself."  
  
"Ya it was kind of weird throwing to myself so I'm looking forward to this."  
  
"I am too; I want to be twice as good as I was last year. Not like its going to be hard though."  
  
"I don't know your performance for the Quidditch Cup was absolutely amazing."  
  
"I finally got over the pressure of everyone watching me I think that was the trick."  
  
Ron and Ginny played Quidditch for most of the day. Ron was having a hard time playing Keeper on Ginny but put on good fight. This had sunk Ron's spirits at being a good Keeper but made him felt hopeful about Ginny reliability as being a good Chaser.  
  
That night at dinner Ron, Ginny, and there parents discussed if they were going to go to Grimmauld Place or not.  
  
"But mum Harry been stuck with those Muggles for half the summer; I think we should go keep him company." Ginny argued.  
  
"Ginny's right Harry been stuck with those Muggles so he could really need some company." Ron agreed.  
  
"Harry will have plenty of company at Grimmauld everyone from the Order is constantly dropping by." Replied Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"That's the thing mum they are just dropping by they are going to keep him company for only a little while." Ron said. "Besides he probably – "Ron stopped himself.  
  
"He probably what?" asked Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"He probably wants use to come." Ron said in a not so convincing voice that only Ginny seem to understand. Ginny raised her eyebrows at Ron and mouthed "after dinner" before their mum could responded to what Ron had just said.  
  
"What makes you so sure?" Their mum replied.  
  
Dinner went on with little more talking and what little talking there was had nothing to do with Harry or Grimmauld Place. After dinner Ron went into his room closely followed by Ginny.  
  
"So Ron why do you think Harry wants us to be at Grimmauld?"  
  
"I don't know." Ron didn't want to tell his sister; she was just a prying prat of a sister after all.  
  
"I know your thinking something. Spill it."  
  
"Only under one condition."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You dont tell dad and definitely don't tell mum."  
  
"Sure. What? I won't tell.' Ron was giving Ginny a suspicious look but decided to tell Ginny in the end.  
  
"I think Harry is still upset about Sirius dying."  
  
"Well ya, his godfather just died his only real guardian left."  
  
"Ya, but think of were he is staying. Grimmauld Place, who's house is it? Ya thats right its Sirius house." By the looks of it Ginny hadn't thought of it like that. She now had a real look of concern on her face.  
  
"Your right we should be there for him, I'm going to go tell mum."  
  
"Ah no, you said you wouldn't tell mum or dad."  
  
"Ya but why don't you want to tell them? Harry could really use some friends right now."  
"Because mum would have to throw some sort of party to try and make him feel better and it would probably just make him feel worse."  
  
"Well we should at least tell Hermione."  
  
"Your right Gin, I write to her. Now you go hurry off to bed."  
  
As Ginny left Ron pulled out an old, warn out quill, a half empty bottle of ink, and some parchment. He really had no idea of how to put how he felt on paper. None the less make it so Hermione could understand it. He stayed late into the night writing the letter after make numerous revisions and going through many feet of parchment. By the time he got to bed the sun was coming up. He only hoped he would see Harry and Hermione at Diagon Alley. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N – I saw HP 3 it was awesome. If you don't think so I'm sorry but the movies are never going to be like the book and Chris Columbus didn't realize that. But the movie was nothing compared to the book don't get me wrong. Anyways, I thought Ron need a father/son moment so I added this in next chapter should be Diagon Alley.  
  
Ron woke up with someone banging on the door. He figured it was Ginny wanting to go up to the paddock again but it was his dad at his door. He had Muggle clothes on and a key to a new car he had purchased. This one though had not been taken apart or ever will be as long as Ron's mum was around.  
  
"Good morning son, fancy doing some driving?"  
  
"Sure, are we going to Diagon Alley today?"  
  
"No, just thought it would be fun to learn to drive since Muggles at your age are learning how to."  
  
Ron got dressed and had a quick breakfast of toast and marmalade. His dad and him then went to the Weasley's shed and got in the car. This car wasn't much better then the last one the Weasleys had, in fact it probably was worse because it couldn't become invisible or fly. After about ten minutes of try to start the car with the key they gave up. Out of much frustration Ron's dad pulled out his wand and started the car with magic. They headed to the near by town of Ottery St. Catchpole.  
  
"So son this is your second to last year at Hogwarts. Do you have any idea of what you are going to do once you leave?" Ron's dad asked.  
  
"I want to do something with sports especially Quidditch. Maybe work for the Ministry. What's his name, Bagman, got fired didn't he? Something about gambling with goblins, right?"  
  
"Yeah, he was about 1200 Galleons in the hole. They fired him for something like being an embarrassment to the Ministry."  
  
"What about Fudge dad, he's gotten himself in a rough spot hasn't he?"  
  
"Ya, after Voldermort showed himself it left Fudge looking like an idiot. He had to give back Dumbledore his position on the Wizengamot and lost his. There hasn't been a Minister that hasn't been on the Wizengamot in over 270 years. And now he is facing an inquiry as Minister."  
  
Ron fell silent. Hearing the phrase "facing an inquiry" reminded him of when Harry and him took the old car and flew to Hogwarts at the beginning of their second year. Ron's dad had an inquiry of his own because of it but since no one else wanted to fill in for his job he got to keep it. Ron's dad knew what Ron was thinking.  
  
"What ever happened to that old car anyways?"  
  
"Well after it saved me and Harry from the huge spiders," Ron shivered at the thought, "it went back into the Forbidden Forest."  
  
"Hmm. . . I wonder what it would do in the Forbidden Forest. Anyways, about Harry, how do you think Harry's doing now?"  
  
"I think he still upset about Sirius's death."  
  
"Well, what do his letters say?"  
  
"He hasn't sent me any."  
  
"Really that's odd. The last time he didn't send letters it turned out a house elf had taken them, right?"  
  
"Ya, but the elf didn't want him to go back to school. This elf would definately want Harry back in school with You-Know-Who back."  
  
"Well I didn't hear from anyone in the Order that Harry wasn't aloud to right."  
  
"He' probably too upset to write. I mean –"  
  
"Watch out!"  
  
Ron was to busy talking to his dad to realize that the car in front of him had slowed to a stop. Ron had to slam on the breaks cause him and his dad to bash their heads on the windshield. Heads hurting like mad they decided to drive now and talk later.  
  
They drove around Ottery St. Catchpole for a few hours talk only about the proper way of driving a car. When it came around lunchtime Ron parked the car in front an old dinner. They went in to sit down to realize Ron had not only left the keys in the car but also left the car running. Finally they sat themselves down in a corner. Ron's dad grabbed a menu and started to look at the prices. At that time a waitress came over.  
  
"What would you two fine gentlemen like to drink?" asked the waitress.  
  
"We'll just have water." replied Ron's dad. "And will have two fish and chips baskets."  
  
"All right."  
  
"So son you think Harry is just upset."  
  
"Ya."  
  
"Do you think he'll be better by term?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"All right. That's good." He stopped looking at Ron and gave a small smile. "Ron do you know how many O. W. L.s you got?"  
  
"No, did the results come in?" Ron had forgotten about them.  
  
"Ya, you got seven." He said this with a huge smile on his face.  
  
"Are you serious?" Ron was extremely excited. He felt like he could run home.  
  
His dad just nodded with the hug smile still on his face. "I imagine Hermione got a full eleven."  
  
Hermione? The letter about Harry! Ron thought I need to go home. I don't want fish and chips.  
  
"Here are your fish and chips, Sirs."  
  
They ate their lunch and conversed a little more before getting back into the car. Ron took off with a squeal and zoomed too the next intersection. He took the turn to fast and his dad bumped his ribs on the door. His ribs were still bruised from being attacked by the snake.  
  
When they got home Ron ran up straight to his room. Ginny soon come in after him.  
  
"What did you and dad do today just drive around?"  
  
"No we talked too. I got seven O. W. L.s!" Ron didn't even turn around to answer he was too busy trying to find his letter to Hermione.  
  
"Are you serious? That's awesome!"  
  
"Did dad say anything about Harry?"  
  
"You'd want to know wouldn't?" He found the letter realized he hadn't put his name on the bottom and added a Your love, Ron at the bottom.  
  
"So what I'm not ashamed of it."  
  
"Still got the He's My Hero Crush on him?"  
  
"If you want to put it that way."  
  
"Well anyway, go bug Fred and George."  
  
"Can't."  
  
Ron spun around and gave her a quizzical look, while she gave him a Hermione know-it-all look. "They don't live here anymore do they?"  
  
"Your right, go ask dad if you really want to know what we talked about."  
  
Ginny left red with anger as Ron caught his owl Pig and attached the letter to his leg.  
  
"Send this to Hermione."  
  
The tiny owl gave a hoot and flew out the window. 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N – Sorry it took so long to put this up but I went out of town. I really like this chapter I hope you do too.  
  
Hermione's response came on the following Monday. She didn't seem too worried about Harry at all, she thought that he would be fine after a few days back at Hogwarts. Hermione's right. Ron thought Give him a few days and he'll be fine. She suggested for his birthday a card with a picture of the two of them in. To do this thought they would have take the picture and send it by Friday so it would get to him by Saturday, Harry's birthday. She said she would be visiting Diagon Alley on Wednesday. So it was up to Ron if they were going to make the card or not. She then went on about her summer, in which she visited relatives in Scotland and finished all her homework in the first week and how she really misses being at Hogwarts with him and Harry.  
  
During breakfast their letters from Hogwarts arrived. Ron had another moment of excitement as he read the letter aloud to his parents and Ginny.  
  
Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House, would like to asked you, Ronald Weasley, to be the new Gryffindor Quidditch Captain . . .  
  
It then went on about the responsibility of being captain and need to find new players for the team.  
  
"I don't understand though?" wondered Ron, "You'd think they would ask Harry or Katie Bell to be captain. They have both been on the team for five years and I've been on the team for only one."  
  
"Maybe they think you're a better player," replied Ron's mum.  
  
"No Harry's the best Quidditch player Hogwarts had since Charlie, maybe even longer. Maybe he really is permanently banned from Quidditch. I don't know about Katie though," Ginny said to everyone's surprise.  
  
Feeling rather betrayed by his younger sister he muttered under his breath, "I'm as good as Harry."  
  
Ron then went on to tell his parents that he wanted to go to Diagon Alley on Wednesday to meet his friends, though by 'accident' forgot to mention that Harry probably wasn't going to be there. Ginny though caught on.  
  
"Harry isn't going to be at Diagon Alley, isn't he?" she asked as Ron was heading up the stairs to his room.  
  
"I don't know." Ron replied.  
  
"Come on you can tell me." Ginny insisted.  
  
"Damn it, Ginny! No he's not, are you happy!?" Ron yelled. She was constantly asking questions about Harry and it was getting rather annoying.  
  
"Fine! I was just wondering." Ginny's voice quivered as she turned around looking dejected.  
  
"Oh, come her Gin." Ron put his hand on her shoulder and she shrugged him off. She started toward her bedroom door but he wrapped her in a hug. "I'm sorry Ginny. I'm just worried about Harry and I don't like talking about it too much."  
  
"Your not the only one worried about him." she replied.  
  
"Your right, I'm going to better about telling you about Harry. Ok?" He let her go and she gave a small smile and a nod then she went into her room.  
  
Ron looked down the stairs and saw his mum looking up at him with watery eyes and a big smile. She must have heard Ron yell and wanted to find out why only to find them making up.  
  
"What?" Ron asked.  
  
"My kids are all grown up." she replied and before Ron could say anything she had turned around and went down stairs.  
  
On Wednesday morning the Weasleys ate a quick breakfast and got ready to go to Diagon Alley. When they were all ready they went in front of the fireplace.  
  
"Alright Ron you first." Said Ron's mum as she gave him the Floo powder. He took some powder threw it into the fire and said clearly "Diagon Alley," and stepped into the fire.  
  
Ron was spinning like mad. He had gotten use to the sick felling he got in the bottom of his stomach as he spun in circles and now thought traveling by Floo powder was quite fun. He felt himself slowing and next thing he was standing outside a fireplace in a building in Diagon Alley. The building was called the Diagon Alley Floo Station. It was a new idea inspired by the Atrium, in which there were several fireplaces on either side of a room. On one side people came out of the fireplaces and on the other side they went into the fireplaces. They also had a Quick Floo Cleaner that magicked away all the ash on your face and clothes. Ron paid three Knuts and stepped in the Quick Floo Cleaner; he didn't want to be dirty for Harry's picture what would Hermione think. Stepped out burping soap bubbles he found Ginny and his parents waiting for him by the door.  
  
"Ron, why did you use that, you know it's a waste of money?" his mum asked as they left the station.  
  
"Because I'm going to get my paycheck from Fred and George for working at their joke shop today and I'm going to have loads to spend."  
  
"Well you best spend it wisely Ron Weasley." Ron's mum replied, shaking a finger at him.  
  
He said goodbye to his parents and Ginny and started wondering aimlessly through Diagon Alley looking for Hermione. He checked everywhere but couldn't find Hermione. He was almost positive she would be in Flourish & Blotts tucked away in a corner surrounded by book but there was no sign of her. He checked the animal shop were she bought Crookshanks to find nothing but animals locked in tiny cages. He even checked Quality Quidditch Supplies were he almost bought a banner with the whole Chudley Cannon team playing Quidditch on it.  
  
Feeling defeated he went into Fred and George's shop Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes to got his paycheck. Fred and George by the look of it had just given a girl a drink of one of their new inventions. The girl had her hands on her face trying to cover the fact that her face was blue but the attempt was no good, soon her entire body was blue. Fred, George, and the rest of the customers were sprawled on the counter shaking with laughter.  
  
"Oi Fred, George! Giving out free samples?" Ron asked.  
  
At the sound of Ron's voice Fred and George looked up while the girl backed into a corner, too embarrassed to be seen by anybody else.  
  
"Ya, but Hermione here took the last but–"  
  
"Hermione?" Ron looked at the girl. All he could see was here hands and her bushy hair, only Hermione had hair that bushy. "But how did you get her to drink it?"  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?" said Hermione. She had taken her hands off her face and folded her arms.  
  
"You don't seem like the person to be testing Fred and George's trick drinks. I mean you threatened to tell are mum if they continued using first years as gimps last year."  
  
"For your information I didn't want them testing their snack boxes on first years because it could have been dangerous. If they are giving out these drinks that means they have tested them and they know they are not dangerous."  
  
"Well Hermione," began Fred, "you're only part correct."  
  
"Ya, we know they aren't dangerous but we aren't finished testing them," said George.  
  
Hermione's face was turning purple.  
  
"Come on Hermione –" began George  
  
"– Come have some of this green drink –" continued Fred. He held up a flask with a green potion in it.  
  
"– It will make it so you aren't purple anymore."  
  
"Well we think it does –"  
  
Hermione's face was completely purple.  
  
"– We haven't had anyone turn purple yet."  
  
Hermione drank the green dye reluctantly and slowly turned red.  
  
"Uh, well, your still mad aren't you?" asked Fred.  
  
Hermione looked at the floor and gave a slight nod.  
  
"Then you'll be fine." George insisted.  
  
Fred and George then went through a door into the back to get Ron's paycheck. The entire time they were in back Hermione scowled at the door. They came back out gave Ron his paycheck and ten extra Galleons.  
  
"Go buy Hermione a nice, big book or something." Fred whispered to Ron with a wink.  
  
When Ron and Hermione left Fred and George's shop Hermione had stopped scowling at the ground in front of her but was still pretty red and she continued to look at the ground.  
  
"So Hermione, have you bought any of your stuff?" asked Ron.  
  
"No, I was waiting for you." Hermione said this while looking at the ground.  
  
"Is that why you were in Fred and George's shop?"  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"Well lets go get are stuff then."  
  
They then went and bought all their new supplies stopping occasionally stopping to talk with fellow students from Hogwarts and once for ice cream cones. They also stopped at Gringotts to cash Ron's paycheck. Finally they had everything they needed except their new spell books.  
  
"So er, Hermione, what kind of books have you been reading lately," Ron asked as they looked through Flourish & Blotts for their required spellbooks.  
  
"Well, after visiting Scotland I've been really interested in their history."  
  
As Hermione was looking for her new Arithmancy book Ron when into the history section and found the biggest book on Ireland history. The title of the book was Scotland through the Ages: A History of Scotland's Rise and fall of Magic. They bought their books and started heading toward a photography studio.  
  
"Hermione I bought a book for you," Ron held out Scotland through the Ages.  
  
"Did you really? Look at the size of it. Thank you Ron, you shouldn't have." She took the book and began looking through it.  
  
"So what kind of place are we going to get are picture taken?" Ron wondered.  
  
"It's actually a couple's photo studio," Hermione said, looking up from her book, "You get a discount if you want a picture of two people. I never realized how expensive a same day photo in the wizard world would be."  
  
They came to the studio and entered. Indeed it was full of couples waiting to get their photo taken but the annoying thing was that they were all staring at Ron and Hermione. They went up to the cashier and Hermione paid for a single photo that would be developed in five minutes but Ron handed over some extra gold to be next in line. They sat and were soon called to the back to have their picture taken.  
  
"What kind of backdrop would you like, hearts, flowers?" asked the photographer as he waved his wand changing the backdrop. Ron decided to let Hermione handle this.  
  
"Do you have one with candles?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Birthday or romantic?"  
  
Ron's stomach gave a lurch. Romantic? Puke!  
  
"Birthday," replied Hermione.  
  
With a wave of the photographer's wand the backdrop changed to a bunch of flickering candles that spelt out 'Happy Birthday.'  
  
"We have birthday cards in front if you like," said the photographer, "now get together –"  
  
Hermione put her head on Ron's side and Ron feeling kind of stupid put his arm around Hermione's shoulders.  
  
"– Alright," continued the photographer, "on three. One . . . two . . . three, lovebirds!  
  
Before the photographer could take the picture Ron's eyebrow's shot up and he gave a sheepish grin while Hermione gave a small giggle. They then went in front and found a birthday card for Harry as the photo was being developed. When they had paid for the card and received the photo they went out side and sat on a bench.  
  
"Alright Ron, sign the card and maybe even put a little note." Hermione gave the card and a quill to Ron.  
  
Ron wrote 'Can't wait to see you at Hogwarts, Ron' in his neatest handwriting and handed the card back to Hermione. She then began writing, which she did a considerable amount more of, and then she bound the picture to the card with a bit of magic. They then went to the Leaky Cauldron and found Ginny and their parents. Hermione parents were explaining the use braces to Ron's father. He looked like a five-year-old that was enjoying an exceptionally good bedtime story. They then said their goodbye and the Weasleys went back into Diagon Alley as the Grangers went through the front door to the Muggle streets.  
  
As the Weasleys headed for the Diagon Alley Floo Station Ron thought Lovebirds, doesn't sound so bad after all. 


End file.
